A BRAVE York man who was a well-known figure on the city's scooter scene has lost his battle against leukaemia.

Mark Miller, 34, who was originally from Acomb, was diagnosed with the disease while living with his girlfriend, Dawn Cox, about two-and-a-half years ago.

He had initially shown good signs of recovery after undergoing a bone marrow transplant, but his condition deteriorated in the last few months.

He died in St James's Hospital, in Leeds.

Mark, who worked for a furniture removal firm, was a keen 'mod' and a member of the York Scooter Club.

His mother, Elaine Fawcett, from Clifton Moor, said today that she was devastated to lose her "best friend".

"It was totally unexpected when he got leukaemia because he never had much wrong with him during his life," Mrs Fawcett said.

"He was in a lot of pain during the last month of his life, but we were told there was a good chance he could pull through.

"Mark was really soft and gentle and would never hurt anybody. He loved children and plants and flowers.

"On the day he died, he was still telling jokes."

Mark's family raised £380 for the bone marrow transplant unit at St James's Hospital and his friends in the rock band Urban Scum plan to stage a charity gig.

Elaine, who was recently married to Dawson Fawcett, said two nurses from St James's Hospital attended her son's funeral after befriending him during his treatment. A wreath in the shape of a scooter was among the flowers with the coffin.

"He loved scooters," said Elaine,

"Mark was brilliant in hospital and was just worried about us all. We didn't think he would die. This kind of thing makes you want to enjoy life as much as you can. Mark just thought about other people more than himself.

"The hospital was absolutely brilliant."

Mark, a former pupil at Millthorpe School, York, leaves behind two sisters, Michelle and Claire, a brother, Darren, his dad, Alan, and stepmother June.

Updated: 10:50 Friday, June 03, 2005